The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-12-13
WHAT THEY CALL IT.
NOTHING BUT RANK FREE TRADE
Tho Hnllelujah chorus Of tho British Man.
ufactarers Over Clsveland's Messas 70.
Our Prosidsnt Blind to tho Sure
Effect OF His Own Arguments,


ufacturers Over Clsveland's Mesa 20.
| Our President Blind to tho Sure
| Effect of His Own Arguments. 4
Nav YoRK, Dec. 12.-Georee W. Small
Icy cables tho following to the Tribune
from London: A Adlupute Is going on In
America, says New York telegrsmr, re-
gardlng British opinion upon Prealden,
Oleveland's message, and the effect Of hia
policy, II adopted, on British trade.
There Is no ground for dispute. Mr..
Cleveland's message was received in Eng.
land with IN expression Of joy. The one
thing for which England hungers and
thirsts ID free admission Of British manu-.
factures to American markets. l have
never met an Enslishman who doubted
that II the United States would but adopt
free trade British fabrics would speedily
drive American fabrics out Of American
markets. "Your employers" said q great
English employer, dare not reduce wages
to our level. How can they compete with
usif they do notr" There is the whole
question.
When MI. Cleveland'a message came
over, the English papers, carried away
with their delight, spoke out freely. They
have since been warned that British sup.
port Is not precisely what the American
President wants when be attacks Ameri.
can interests. So they are more cautious.
But their frat dsliverancss are conclusive.
"Mr. Cleveland's policy" said the Times,
may not establish free trade In the strict
sense Of the torn. But it will to q great
extent make trade free." Neither the
Times nor any other journal cares straw
about Mr.. Cleveland's academic reserya.
tiona in favor Of the manufacturer,
- FOR REVENUE ONLY. 0
"The President" said the Daily Nevs,
docs not seom to perceive the effect Of
his own arguments, or even the meaning
OF bis own words. His statement that the
question Of free trade is irrelevant Is as.
founding md preposterous. Mr., Oleye.
land has persuaded himself to think, or
hnds In convenient to say, that the princi-
lple Of fostering native industries by dnties
on foreign imports can be made compati-
Die with The principle Of regulating the
ourdens upon the people by the needs Of
the public service. 1t is pure delusion. !.
protecton, albeit indefensible, is the
height OF wisdom compared with proposals
which combine all the evils OF interference
with all the risks Of liberty" So this
ournal, like all others, considers Mr..
Oleveland's proposals, In spite of all at
tempts at Limitation, as equivalent to a
declaration for free trade pure and simple.
The Standard, too, ridicules what Il calls
bis soothing parentheais about consider.
irg the intereats Of Americanlabor. ssHis
real meaning is that the scheme by which
the artificial fabric Of domestic enterprise
has beon built up in America ia funda.
mentally vicious. He demands in effect
that there should be O tariff for revenue
purposes only"
The weekly journals hold similar yiews.
Tho Economist, the leading financial jour.
nal OF this country, expresses itself with
reserve for the reason above given. Brt
lls article is one Ions. panegyric on Mr..
lOleveland'e message from purely free
trade point Of view. "President Cleveland
Is to be honored Tor his outspoken adyo-
cscy OF sound fiscal principles" }" says the
Economisl. Wha. does that mean Who
does not know that in ita mouth "aound
tiscal princiPles" mean
I RANK FREE TRADE?
The Spectator is plain spoken and en-
Iphatic: "The Presidents 1erse and tall.
ing message hes struck blow at Ameri-
can protection such as never could have
been struck by any Free Trade League"
The Saturday Reriew, I need not remind
you. is q bitter enemy Of America. 1t is
now the Presidents eulogist. "He de.
clines cautiously" says our lifelong foe,
ITO dub himaelf Free Trader; but he
takes up q free trade position without dis.
gniae. He and the leaders of the Demo.
cratic party have taken up again the old
free trade policy Of the South Carolina pol.
iticians." The great provincial journals
at Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham.
Leeds, Newcastle, aud elsewh where, ali unite
in this lyrical celebration OF MIR. Oleye-
land in bis new character OF the British
Manufacturer Best Friend.
10 represent me Engllah as anxious
lest free trade in America should result
in making America formidable compete
tor with England in the markets OF the
world is the shallowest Of futile dispuises.
Free trade dogmstists are bound to affirm
it as the logical consequence of their theo.
riea, but they sA,m 1t with their tongues
in their cheeks. Every practical Eng
llshman knows the immediate result Of
Mr.. Clevslaud's policy would be an enor.
NOUS increase Of English exports to Amer.
ica. That is why they hail it with q hal
lslujah. It will empty American pockets
to ill English ones 1t will stifle strup-
Cling American industries and cripple
those which are prosperous. 1t will make
the English the arbitera Of American prog
perity. :,